Tips To Deal With Unfriendly Dogs During Your Running Exercise

Have you ever come across a dog who has been unfriendly towards you while you were doing your running exercise? Most often, you are likely to meet many dogs if you go for outdoor exercising. While some dogs are friendly, some can growl, lunge or even bite the runners sometimes. If you complain the dog owners about their dog’s weird behavior, they will either tell you that it was your fault or say that it was just a “friendly bite” or “he was just playing with you”. You cannot make the owners understand the problems with their dogs even if you show them your wound. In fact, they might suggest you to change your place if you protest against their dogs. Owners always think that their dogs can do nothing wrong, they are always innocent. Veterinarians who run, understand the problems with dogs and they have suggested few ways to protect yourself from the growling dogs when running.

However, it is better to protect yourself than going into an argument with the dog owner, right? There are many ways you can protect yourself. So, keep calm and check out the ways below on how you can stay safe from dogs during your running exercise.

1. Treat The Dogs In A Friendly Manner: If you are a dog person, then you can simply get the dog in your control and they might also be friendly towards you. If you can sense that the dog is aggravated, shout in a firm pitch and ask it to back off. According to Richardson, this method helps a lot to ward off an aggravated dog.

2. Ignore Their Existence: Another way to prevent dogs from attacking you is to ignore them completely as if they do not exist. Staring into their eyes acts a warning sign to dogs and they tend to fight back. However, if you see a dogs is barking to you or growling, these surely indicate that you should leave the place immediately.

3. Start Jumping When A Dog Approaches: When you see a dog coming close to you, keep your original running pace. If the dog comes to bite you, shout in a different way and the dog will be startled.

4. Frighten The Dog: Dogs usually get afraid when someone throws stone at them. Therefore, if a dog is turns hostile towards you, then you should bend down as if you’d pick a stone to throw at it. This act will make the dog move away from that place.

5. Don’t Be Scared: Well, this one is easier said than done. When an aggravated dog attacks, no one can help but panic. Animals can sense that you are scared. So, if you act out of panic like running or screaming, then the dog becomes more agitated and it bites. Therefore, don’t be scared if you see a dog barking at you during your running exercise.

6. Stand Motionless: It is important to be motionless when a dog approaches you. Stand as motionless as a tree with your hands tightly on your sides and never look at them. The dog will gradually lose interest in you and walk away. Never wave your hands or kick your legs. It will be taken as a threatening sign and you might be attacked. Stand sideways from the dog and watch him with your peripheral vision. Keep your fingers in a fist as it will protect them from the bite. Dogs may come close to you and sniff, but they won’t bite.

7. Try To Distract The Dog With Some Other Object: If you know that the place where you run is a home to dangerous dogs, you might like to carry toys or some chewy objects that they can chew. Throw these objects to dogs when they bark or snarl at you. In this way, they will be busy with the toy and in the meantime you can escape from the place.

8. Simply Fight Back When You Are Attacked: Last but not the least, fight back when you are attacked by a dog. Use your strength and hit a dog on their neck, throat or head. They will get stunned by the counter attack and you will be able to escape from there. There is nothing wrong if you hit a dog in order to protect yourself. So, take every step you can to keep yourself safe from the attack of the dangerous dogs.